My Turn to Ask for Prayers

Thomas had an episode tonight where he was acting like he was throwing up and choking at the same time. All that was coming out was white foam and he seemed to be breathing funny so I took him to the pet emergency clinic.

By the time we got there, he seemed better, but the vet checked him over really good. I had also noticed that his bottom lip was red and swollen and I really thought maybe he had an allergic reaction to something. I've suspected that he may have asthma for awhile, but the vet hasn't heard him wheezing like I have......so it hasn't been confirmed.

Anyway, the vet checked him and noticed that his gums are also very red and inflamed and he had a low-grade temperature. He told me that Thomas's symptoms could be feline leukemia! I told him that Abby had tested negative and he said that she may have only had it a short time and it may have been too early for her to test positive. He also said that there have been cases where negative moms gave birth to positive kittens.

The problem is, Leo and Shelby, my original two cats, were never vaccinated against it because the vet had told me that as long as they were both negative and stayed inside and didn't come into contact with other cats.....they wouldn't get feline leukemia. And I tested Abby right away when I got her and she was negative.....so assumed it was ok to have her around Leo and Shelby.

I have to take Thomas in tomorrow to have a bunch of blood tests run and if he turns out to be positive for the disease....that means ALL my cats probably have it. It means that I could lose them ALL!

I've been crying ever since I got home. I just can't imagine the possibility of losing them all. I don't even want to think of losing ANY of them.

Please pray for us and pray that Thomas does not have this awful disease. The vet did say that it could be just really bad allergies and asthma.....but that still wouldn't explain the gingivitis. The vet was acting as if he was pretty sure that Thomas has leukemia. God I hope he's wrong!

Oh Im so sorry to hear that
I'll definetly pray for Thomas tonight, and I really hope it turns out to be just allergies or something.

Peace,
Brandon

Oh no what an awful situation!!!!!! ...I will be praying for you and your kits.....I hope that thomas has something like an allerfic reaction, and not god forbid FL....but if the worst does happen and thomas does have it dont condem the other cats just yet...There is always a chance that they may not have anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But if i know the strength of the love and prayers from this bored I know that thomas and the rest of the kits will pull through......
No giving up...ok, and Ill be thinking you and the kits

oh Robin I am so very sorry to hear this news... we will all be sending so many thoughts and vibes your way and hope so very much that Thomas is fine

chin up okay and know that we are all here if you need to talk or a shoulder to lean on

Robin, please don't cry. It could just be a bad tooth, or a bad case of gingivitis. I love the fact that pet ER Clinics exist, but I swear all the ones I have visited they were all alarmists and looking at the dark side of the diagnoisis. Try and get some rest, and hopefully your cat is fighting off a bad infection in his mouth and nothing else.

Oh no! I really, really hope it's just a bad allergic reaction. Praying for Thomas!

Boy I am just missing things left and right. I hope today brought better news or that tomorrow does.

Thoughts and prayers from me and the kids are flying to You and Thomas kitty that it is nothing serious... Keep us updated please

Oh Robin, you must be so upset tonight! This has brought tears to my eyes just thinking of what you're going through! Your babies are everything to you, and your heart must be breaking at the thought of losing them. Like MA said, it is so likely this Dr. is completely off! Thomas probably just has a simple infection that will be easily treated! I am praying so hard for him tonight, and for you, dear Robin. Please let us know as soon as you return from his appt!

My thoughts are with you, Thomas and your kitties. Please keep us posted on how the little guy is doing.

Robin Thomas

I pray this turns out to be a false alarm

Oh Robin what you must be going through right now! I pray to God that it's not the worst and that it's something treatable!.

I don't give Rosie and Sophie the leukemia shots either because of reports i've heard on it

Let us know asap

I really hope it isnt feline luekemia!! I hope they find out the cause and that you don't lose any of your babies.

Oh robin!
That sounds familiar though because my cats have done that before with the foamy stuff, they didnt have lukemia though.
They actually lived for a long while before they got hit by cars ect.
You cant lose your bunch, take your baby to a proper vet.
Like hissy said they are only thinking of the dark side and being alarmist.
all the best huns (hugs)
*sends you all the good vibes that there is nothing wrong at all*

A couple of our cats have also thrown up white foam at various times. I hope it was nothing serious and the tests turn up some good news for you. Best of luck and best wishes for you all!!!

Originally Posted by hissy

Robin, please don't cry. It could just be a bad tooth, or a bad case of gingivitis. I love the fact that pet ER Clinics exist, but I swear all the ones I have visited they were all alarmists and looking at the dark side of the diagnoisis. Try and get some rest, and hopefully your cat is fighting off a bad infection in his mouth and nothing else.

Click to expand...

Thanks...I hope you're right. I don't think it's a bad tooth though because the inflammation is pretty uniform throughout his mouth.

Well as I was typing this, Thomas just threw up his whole breakfast.

Also, this morning, I checked all my other cat's mouths and they ALL have gingivitis.....though not as bad as Thomas's. I did a google search on cat gingivitis and though it can be a sign of leukemia, I read that it's fairly common in cats because of the food they eat. (and all my cats eat the same thing) I don't feed them the really "good" stuff or the expensive stuff but that's because they won't eat the good stuff. I've tried many times and many different brands and they are just set on eating the Friskies canned and the Meow Mix dry. The kittens eat Iams canned kitten food (mixed with the Friskies canned) and the Purina dry kitten food. I've wasted more money on buying the expensive cat foods to only have them turn their noses up at it. Maybe I should keep trying until I find a good food that they will eat.

Do you remember when I took Abby to the vet back when the kittens were little because her bottom lip got so swollen? At the time, the vet said that she may have developed a sensitivity to plastic, which is common in cats, and so I changed her bowls to stainless steel. When that didn't help, the vet said she was probably just cleaning the kittens so much that it caused her lip to become inflamed. Well I do feed the kittens in plastic bowls and so I thought maybe that's why Thomas's bottom lip swelled up.

I'm just really hoping that it's nothing more than allergies. Like I said....I've suspected that he may have allergies and/or asthma for a few months now. He does breath funny sometimes and I've listened to his lungs with my stethoscope before while he was doing that and it sounded like he was wheezing. He also seems to get winded fairly easy if he's playing hard......like when he's chasing the laser light.

Anyway.....I'll let you all know what my vet says today. I don't know if I'll get back all his blood tests today or not. I would guess....probably not.

Thank you all for your kind words and prayers. You all are the best!!

Aw robin
My cat turns its nose up on expensive cat food, so far only two brands but i dont have the money to buy him very expensive cat food that he doesnt even eat, He loves wiskas and now out of a whole box of wet food he is only liking 3 or 4 flavours of it.
I hope Abby and Thomas are okay, they look so alike and since thomas is so big i sometimes get them confused in your siggy
*prays nothing is wrong with them*

Sending all the best vibes to you and your clan, Robin.

Oh Robin i wish the whole thing was sorted out for all your peace of minds!!

Robin, I am sending good }}}VIBES{{{ to you that things aren't bad!

When my old cat, Disco, had bad gingivitis, she used to throw up the sort of foam. The vet said that it was phlegm because of the horrible taste in her mouth.

I really hope that everything is ok! to you all!